French Cyclist Aurelien Fontenoy Sets World Record Climbing Eiffel Tower on Bike
Fontenoy scaled 686 steps in 12 minutes and 30 seconds without touching the ground, smashing a two-decade-old record
French cyclist and TikTok sensation Aurelien Fontenoy has set a new world record by becoming the fastest person to climb to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower on an all-terrain bike — without his feet touching the ground.
Fontenoy conquered 686 steps of the iconic Paris landmark in just 12 minutes and 30 seconds, the Eiffel Tower’s operator, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, announced on Friday. He shattered the previous record, set over two decades ago, by nearly seven minutes.
The 35-year-old extreme cyclist described the challenge as physically punishing. “For this challenge, I break my brake, and I just have to compress my tire because I don’t have suspension or anything — it’s just a rigid bike. So we just have to pump with the brake and jump, jump, jump a lot!” he said.
Fontenoy revealed that the record attempt had been years in the making. “It’s a challenge that I organised maybe three or four years ago,” he said. “I started four years ago at the Tour Trinity and I was supposed to go to the Eiffel Tower after. But Covid-19, then the Olympic Games, then building work and repainting the tower — it was a lot of work to organise it!”
To prepare for the gruelling climb, Fontenoy trained intensively for months, focusing on gym sessions and jump rope workouts to build strength and endurance.
“When I arrived at the finish line, I was destroyed because it’s 12 minutes, but 100% effort during 12 minutes,” he said. “I was super happy because, I showed nothing, but it was a small stress for me to beat this record.”
Fontenoy, already a multiple-time trial biking champion and social media sensation, has performed gravity-defying stunts across Europe. His Eiffel Tower ascent stands as his most symbolic and physically demanding feat, earning global attention and millions of views online.